Building Narrative Capital in VC with Clay Norris
Lifeselfmastery's podcast I Startups I Venture Capital
Release Date: 08/14/2025
Lifeselfmastery's podcast I Startups I Venture Capital
I am thrilled ot have the Chief Evangelist at Gong, where he spent nine years helping build the company from zero to a multi-billion-dollar valuation. A five-time B2B marketing leader, bestselling author of Courageous Marketing, angel investor, and board member In this conversation, Udi Ledergor, Chief Evangelist at Gong, shares his journey from product management to leading marketing at a billion-dollar company. He emphasizes the importance of human-centric marketing, the need to challenge traditional best practices, and the significance of creating valuable content that resonates with...
info_outlineLifeselfmastery's podcast I Startups I Venture Capital
I am excited to have Sergiy, who is the Co-CEO of Railsware and co-founder of multiple products In this conversation, Sergiy Korolov, CEO of Railsware, discusses his journey from software developer to entrepreneur, the evolution of his products like Mailtrap and Coupler, and the challenges faced in the tech industry. Sergiy shares insights on transitioning from service to product, the importance of understanding user segments through surveys, and the role of AI in enhancing productivity. He also reflects on the complexities of email delivery and strategies for competing against larger...
info_outlineLifeselfmastery's podcast I Startups I Venture Capital
I am thrilled to have , a former Army Ranger turned venture capitalist, and the founder and Managing Partner of Scout Ventures. Brad invests at the intersection of national security and critical technology innovation, backing companies like Unite Us, ID.me, Voyager Space, and Tomahawk Robotics — which was recently acquired by AeroVironment. In this conversation, Brad Harrison, a former Army Ranger turned venture capitalist, shares his journey into the world of venture capital and the founding of Scout Ventures. He discusses the importance of mission-driven investments, particularly in the...
info_outlineLifeselfmastery's podcast I Startups I Venture Capital
I am thrilled to have who is a Senior Associate at Collide Capital, a pre-seed to Series A venture fund investing in fintech, future of work, and supply chain software. In this conversation, Elias Mufarech, a senior associate at Collide Capital, shares his insights on venture capital, the importance of operational support for founders, and the evolving landscape of startup expectations. Elias discusses his journey from building fintech software in Latin America to investing in startups, highlighting the critical lessons learned along the way. He emphasizes the need for founders to have strong...
info_outlineLifeselfmastery's podcast I Startups I Venture Capital
I am excited to have who is the founder and CEO of , where he's automating the most complex workflows in finance and insurance. He has 15+ years of work experience across companies like J.P. Morgan and Bridgewater In this conversation, Ankur Patel, founder and CEO of Multimodal, traces his path from JP Morgan and Bridgewater to building AI agents that automate complex workflows in finance and insurance. He explains how early exposure to data science and macro trading convinced him that AI would reshape enterprise work. He discusses why agentic AI is fundamentally different from...
info_outlineLifeselfmastery's podcast I Startups I Venture Capital
I am thrilled to have , who is a Partner at , where he's spent over 8 years investing in commerce infrastructure and fintech. Before Venture, he was an Investment Banking Analyst at Financial Technology Partners. He's particularly bullish on AI's transformation of insurance, backing companies like Kin Insurance, Liberate, and Authentic. In this conversation, Vivek Krishnamurthy, a partner at Commerce Ventures, discusses his journey into venture capital, the evolution of investment strategies, and the intersection of commerce and fintech. Vivek shares insights on the impact of AI on business,...
info_outlineLifeselfmastery's podcast I Startups I Venture Capital
I am excited to have , a Venture Builder at , where he helps launch and scale six B2B SaaS startups every year through their AI Studio. His work centres on turning early-stage concepts into real companies, guiding founders across product, go-to-market, and fundraising In this conversation, Dallas Price, a venture builder at Forum Ventures, discusses his journey into the startup world, the workings of a venture studio, and the current landscape of AI startups. Dallas shares insights on navigating chaos in startups, the importance of defensibility, new distribution channels, and evolving pricing...
info_outlineLifeselfmastery's podcast I Startups I Venture Capital
I am excited to have , venture capitalist and co-founder of Foundry, and , international business journalist and founder of Times of Entrepreneurship. Together, they co-authored The New Builders and now their latest book, , explores how American capitalism is shifting—and why businesses, not government, may hold the keys to building a more inclusive and prosperous future. In this conversation, Seth Levine and Elizabeth McBride discuss their new book, 'Capital Evolution,' which explores the shifting landscape of American capitalism. They delve into the challenges posed by neoliberal...
info_outlineLifeselfmastery's podcast I Startups I Venture Capital
I am thrilled to have , the founder and CEO of , where he helps B2B SaaS companies capture the value they've built. Former Head of Pricing at Vista Equity Partners, he's priced over 400 SaaS products and has authored Street Pricing. In this conversation, Marcos Rivera, founder and CEO of Pricing.io, discusses the intricacies of pricing strategies in B2B SaaS. Marcos shares his journey from product management to pricing, highlighting common mistakes companies make, especially in underpricing their products. He emphasizes the importance of understanding customer needs, the blend of art and...
info_outlineLifeselfmastery's podcast I Startups I Venture Capital
, is General Partner at MyAsiaVC, a venture syndicate and fund with $125M AUM backing 250+ companies, including 5 unicorns. Previously at HSBC and Deloitte, he now invests in pre-seed and seed AI-native startups across enterprise growth, healthcare, fintech, and advanced manufacturing, focusing on obsessive founders tackling overlooked challenges. In this conversation, Aabhas Khanna, a general partner at MyAsia VC, discusses his journey from working in large corporations to venture capital. Aabhas shares insights on evaluating AI startups, the importance of founder quality, and the unique...
info_outlineI am excited to have Clay Norris is a GP at Outlaw and founder of ConfluenceVC, known for pioneering "narrative capital"—leveraging media to build venture scale.
In this conversation, Clay Norris, a General Partner at Outlaw and founder of Confluence VC discusses his journey into venture capital, the importance of building an audience, and the concept of narrative capital. Clay shares insights on fundraising challenges for emerging managers, portfolio construction strategies, and the evolving landscape of venture capital, including the impact of AI and the role of founders in running their own funds. The discussion emphasizes the need for GPs to craft compelling narratives and build relationships to succeed in a competitive market.
Timestamps
00:00 Introduction to Venture Capital and Clay Norris
03:14 Building an Audience and Content Strategy
06:28 Crafting a Compelling Narrative
09:17 Emerging Managers and Fundraising Challenges
11:21 Portfolio Construction Strategies
13:41 Reserves and Investment Strategies
17:48 The Evolution of VC and Multi-Stage Funds
20:58 Founders Running Their Own Funds
23:10 Winning Competitive Deals
24:46 AI and the Future of Venture Capital
27:40 The Changing Landscape of SaaS and VC
29:45 Balancing Personal and Institutional Brands
31:40 Skills for Future General Partners
Clay’s Links
LDN– https://www.linkedin.com/in/cbnorris/
Website – outlaw.vc
Confluence - https://confluencevcweekly.beehiiv.com/
My Links
Podcast: https://lifeselfmastery.com/itunes
Newsletter: https://partner-grow.beehiiv.com/subscribe
YouTube: youtube.com/lifeselfmastery
Twitter: https://twitter.com/rohitmal
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rohit857/